NOA outdoor living is the leading outdoor experience centre in the Benelux, where outdoor trends are developed in collaboration with 30 high-end outdoor brands. For the 2025 outdoor season, NOA has identified five macro trends that will shape the way we design, furnish and experience gardens. One thing is certain: our outdoor spaces are on the brink of a true (r)evolution.


1. The Nomadic Garden
Large, labour-intensive gardens with high costs are no longer the norm. Low maintenance, compact gardens are the future. However, smaller does not mean less versatile. In 2025, it will become standard to create different ‘worlds’ within a single garden, in terms of terrace design, vegetation, and furniture. The nomadic garden symbolises travelling within your own garden. This trend responds to the sun, the seasons, and the activities of those using the space. A garden is no longer seen as a simple lawn, but as a versatile living space with ‘rooms’ to explore. Since the pandemic, the need for multifunctional outdoor spaces has grown.

This example from Sapienstone shows how the trend can be taken to the next level by bringing floors, walls, furniture and accessories together in a strong (colour) concept. Or how outdoor spaces can surpass indoor ones. // www.sapienstone.com

Think of an intimate reading nook hidden in greenery, a private spot for an outdoor shower, a pétanque terrain for cosy evenings with friends, a morning terrace for breakfast, or a sunny spot for an aperitif in the evening sun. Travelling through your own garden, like a nomad, is today’s trend. This new way of experiencing the garden calls for innovative products, such as mobile sauna cabins, multifunctional garden furniture, and portable lighting that can be effortlessly moved to every corner of your garden.

This collection, aptly named ‘Nomad’ by Alejandra Gandía-Blasco Lloret for GAN, shows that our gardens are undergoing a true revolution, with flexible ways to lie down, sit or relax. // www.gan-rugs.com

 

The ultimate ‘nomadic garden’ includes a sauna on wheels from Alpha Wellness Sensations. This concept, originally created by the Finns, is ideal for those who want to place a sauna in a location where obtaining a permit is difficult. The sauna is wood-fired and requires no electricity, allowing you to completely disconnect. // www.alpha-wellness-sensations.be

 

A separate outdoor (play)room is a new must-have. Think of it as an extension of your interior into the outdoors. How about a pool table that also serves as a dining table, like the one by Cornilleau? // www.cornilleau.com

2. The high, the hanging and the basement garden
In 2025, we are becoming increasingly aware of how greenery influences our peace of mind and well-being. We are (almost) at the point of integrating less concrete into our lives and actively seeking ways to reduce our impact on the planet. Although there is still a long way to go, awareness is growing. More and more cities are investing in reducing paved surfaces: from adding more green spaces and rain gardens to developing large green parks on vacant lots. Cars are increasingly being pushed out of urban environments because the city life of the future will only remain liveable by integrating more greenery, especially in the face of extreme heat. However, space is scarce, particularly in urban areas. 05 04 This leads to gardens being increasingly created on rooftops, mezzanines, balconies, and even underground with the help of artificial lighting. One thing is clear: every square metre of greenery symbolises life. As we spend more and more time indoors, staying connected to nature is essential. This is why more resilient plant species are being used and modular designs are becoming so popular, with many brands adjusting their lifestyle approach to meet these new needs.

A garden can be different, as demonstrated by this stylish indoor-inspired space with a water feature and a prominent deciduous tree. The walls were finished with façade cladding from Cosentino. // www.cosentino.com

 

This realisation from Danish brand Gubi’ proves that urban living is also possible in green surroundings. This is part of a new design development in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. It is clear that more and more attention is being given to green living environments, no matter how small. // www.gubi.com

 

At London Design Week, the ‘Vert’ installation appeared as a conceptual response to rising urban temperatures due to heat waves and declining biodiversity. The initiators – the design studio Diez Office by industrial designer Stefan Diez, the American Hardwood Export Council, and green specialists OMC°C – believe that urban solutions are urgently needed for these global issues. The project presents a wooden structure that helps cool the city and integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructure. // www.diezoffice.com

3. The dry versus the wet garden
Even the last doubters have to believe it: global warming is undeniably affecting our climate. This means that even our European gardens are slowly but surely undergoing a transformation. A striking example is vines, which suddenly stop thriving or, on the contrary, become more productive. Our gardens are facing a profound metamorphosis: one moment it is excessively hot, with extreme temperatures, while the following week a so-called rain bomb makes everything too wet. This affects not only the choice of trees and plant species, but also aspects such as permeable paving, drainage systems, shaded areas, heat buffers, and so on. In other words, gardens in 2025 must be able to withstand both extreme heat and heavy rainfall, which poses a huge challenge for landscapers and garden designers. The industry is also increasingly thinking about this and coming up with solutions to meet these new requirements.

Climate change is requiring companies to shift gears and adapt their products to extreme heat or rainfall. Italy’s Corradi makes covered outdoor spaces that close completely when the sun shines or do just the opposite when it rains. Their ‘Alba Butterfly’ is designed to withstand six times more rain than European guidelines require. Also, the material used, ‘Opatex Cool’ – a thermo – reflector composite black – out textile – reflects much more sunlight, keeping it fresher underneath. // www.corradi.eu

 

Nature, which must be respected and restored, also plays a role in (garden) lighting. Bega keeps this in mind, developing garden lighting that illuminates the required area while containing as little blue light as possible. This is important because blue light disrupts the lives of insects, birds and other animals. The emphasis is on responsible outdoor lighting in both urban and rural settings. // www.bega.com

 

The difference between wet and dry or hot and cold will only increase with global warming. This also affects landscaping and the design of materials and furniture. The industry is actively seeking out solutions to address these challenges. // www.muuto.com

 

Gardens in Belgium may not be tropical just yet, but landscapers are increasingly considering plant species that can withstand extreme weather conditions. This private pool of the recently opened hotel Casa Molle by Relais & Chateaux in Chile – where the plant species can certainly handle a strong sunlight – can serve as inspiration when our gardens really get drier. // www.casamolle.cl

 

Gan’s collection of wool rugs ‘La Geria Lanzarote’ is inspired by the traditional way of farming on the volcanic island, reflecting nature’s resilience // www.gan-rugs.com

4. Collectible design for the garden
As the boundaries between exterior and interior continue to blur, we have entered a new era, with art and ornaments designed specifically for the garden. Not entirely new, I hear you thinking. True: there are already big red rabbits, dogs, diving bronze statues and everything in between. In our humble design opinion, however, these garden pieces quickly become dated and are more of a fad than objects of a designer’s thoughtful vision. What is noticeable is that more and more European creative studios are following the huge wave of collectible design – the trend in which design pieces are seen as art objects rather than functional utensils. But it doesn’t stop there. Outdoor brands are also increasingly thinking about statement pieces that, in addition to their utilitarian function, also fulfil an ornamental role.

New technologies also allow new applications. Thanks to evolved LED technologies, France’s Petite Friture has taken a playful approach to outdoor lighting that turns the outdoor space into a celebration. The design is called ‘Spline’ by designer David Derksen // www.info.petitefriture.com

5. Hybrid green architecture
From the architect’s drawing board to the finished structure, careful consideration is given to how plants will interplay with facades, actively shaping the architectural form. This shift ties in with the growing trend of architects doubling as interior or green designers. Boundaries between disciplines blur, and having facades overrun with wild vertical gardens – once a radical idea for the typical Belgian – is gaining popularity here as well. It is actually not so strange: if we want less concrete in our living environment, we should use gardens vertically, interwoven with cladding, brick or concrete structures. The industry is also responding to this by providing architects with building materials that offer plants, trees and even flowers an ideal vertical habitat. This is done without relying on complex, difficult-to-maintain vertical gardens with computer-controlled irrigation systems. The future belongs to green architecture – literally and figuratively.

The greenery in our gardens no longer needs to be so preened and pristine; the wilder, the better with more room for fauna and flora. In this project, nature is enhanced by being reflected in mirrored glass. A great example of how architectural solutions can amplify our connection with nature. Image: eSafe (mailbox for packages). // www.my-esafe.be

 

Renson’s Amani takes outdoor living to new heights: a custom-made architectural outdoor living space that seamlessly blends nature with outdoor living all year. // www.renson.net

 

Nestled on a steep slope amidst a tropical forest, the Toque-Toque House is a simple, flexible and easy-to-build structure that serves as a summer residence in São Sebastião, on the coast of São Paulo. Designed by architect Nitsche Arquitetos, the home was placed transversely on the slope, so that the house projects toward the sea and is at the height of the tree canopy. To address the irregular topography, a concrete basement was created that connects the entrance to the pool area. Below the basement is a small terrace and above it, the house was built using a laminated wood structure. With a total area of 240m2, the architectural design consists of seven structural portals, forming six modules with three suites, a laundry room, a guest toilet and a living room with an integrated kitchen. The roof was made of thermoacoustic industrial panels, with generous roof overhangs protecting the entire structure. By being placed transversely on the slope, the home rises to treetop height, offering panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Toque-Toque Beach. The layout combines both privacy and interaction with the surroundings. The social areas, such as the kitchen and living room, border the pool and overlook the sea, while the bedrooms face the beach, on the other side of the house. Thus, the bedrooms maintain their privacy and the 180° view is maximised on both sides. Circulation within the house is exclusively external, sheltered by roof overhangs of 1.20m. All bedrooms and the laundry room open to the outside, providing well-lit and ventilated spaces with flexible use and compact, simple construction. The design of the Toque-Toque House allowed for industrial, fast and efficient construction while its strategic positioning on the plot ensures a strong connection with the natural surroundings. // www.nitsche.com.br

www.noa-outdoor.com

Written by Nicolas Block, this article was originally published in Issue 2 of NOA Magazine.